Fake
by MadScrivenings
Summary: My mask. It's all I have. But when I get booted from all I know, and a pretty girl invites me to live with her. Well everything cracks. Angsty, comedy, other stuff, general Naruto being clueless Slow updates


**An: Me and my damn ideas. **

** Ps: Naruto knows Rasengan and Tsunade is already Hokage. The Sandaime is retired and the third exam in the Chunin exam hasn't occurred yet, though it will soon. **

I was late. That was the only fact, I was late and this wasn't going to go well. When I finally reached my destination, I nearly threw myself through the door.

"So, is this what you deem arriving on time Uzumaki-San. I let you stay in my establishment and this is how you treat me? I wonder how you would treat me if I just kicked you from your home? Would you then feel the need to arrive on time?"

"But...but...but.." I attempted to form a coherent sentence.

"No buts, get your belongings from your apartment and get out! I am tired of your trouble-making ways! This was the last straw! Now go!"

I shuffled from the room. Where would I go? It was the middle of Winter and while Konoha isn't known for it's snow, it does get pretty cold. I doubted very much that my track suit would keep me warm. I didn't have anyone to go to. Sakura-chan hates my guts, Sasuke's the same, and if I said anything to Kakashi he would just think I'm messing with him so I could see his house.

The walk down the hallway towards my living quarters hurt. I knew I was out of this place for good. No amount of persuading by even a Kage would allow me to keep my place in these halls. I swiped at my face to stop unbidden tears. Tears wouldn't help.

I entered my apartment and quickly grabbed my few valuables, which wasn't much to begin with. The only things I was leaving behind was my old furniture and objects I couldn't take with me like the food in my kitchen. I would have nowhere to store the stuff or cook it anyway.

Less than two minutes later I was staring at the front door of what use to be my apartment complex. The owner of the building had never liked me, and now the fat slob would never see me again. I wasn't sorry to see him go but my apartment was another matter.

I looked around myself. The street was empty at this time of night. The reason for my lateness wasn't because I disliked the owner, though I did dislike the man. No, my reason for being late was what happened earlier today. It was Sakura-chan's birthday. She had invited all of the rookie twelve and even the respective sensei too. It was going to be a big birthday bash for the pink haired girl.

I, of course, was surprised I was even invited. I had planned for simply leaving her gift on her window sill and if that didn't work then just give it to her the next day. I knew Sakura-chan didn't like me so I hadn't expected the invite. So I went today, stayed in a dark corner out of sight and stayed silent after Sakura-chan had let me in. I wasn't going to ruin the day by using my mask.

My mask was my life. It was the fake happy outlook that I had planted on my face for as long as I could remember. I was always faking my happiness and smiles. I faked my love for the color orange. I faked my love for Sakura-chan. I faked everything nice, Everything that was supposedly "me."

The reason for all the falsity was a simple one. Everything loved, everything people like, want, or feel is fake. No one is real, that priest who feeds the orphans, he also passes homeless by without a thought. Someone begs at his door and he shall slumber on. The baker who couldn't possibly let an animal go stray spends all his money and time saving the animals, his family forgotten and abused.

Every smile is hiding the thoughts. The thoughts of every inadequacy you hold, that they hold, that the baker holds, that everyone holds. No one is truly optimistic, everyone sees the faults, the chipped parts. Never the smooth ones, the perfections.

No one shows their true colors, their real self, because they all wish to fit in. They want to belong, everyone does. The easiest road is not through kindness or through individuality. The quickest path is faking your actions, to throw your mask up and play as the fake persona you have built up since a child for everyone.

That is why I am fake. Why my smiles look so true, so real. My happiness is so fake it looks real. That reality is what everyone craves. Even if they spit on my name, curse my blood and hope for my death, they love every second of the false truth. A paradox if one ever existed. That everyone wants the truth, the real, and only ever show the fake.

My mask also lead to my demise. My mask wasn't one of punctuality. Now as I sit out in the cold, the only person to blame is myself. My falsity lead to my lateness and this lead to my homelessness. Just a destructive life cycle. I smiled to myself, my mask donned again. I'll just live in a forest. I lived there before, when I first left the orphanage as a four year old.

This time was different, I wasn't a weak and untrained child but a deadly ninja with the long learned foraging skills from so long ago. It was just that simple, just that fake. I may not have a home, I may not be real, but I will crave the belonging, the love of another like any other.

…...THE VERY NEXT DAY...

I yawned. I had found a quiet bench in a park to sleep on. My forest plan didn't quite work when some late training ninja knocked me out of a tree on accident. The ninjas had simply been having a spar and one of them had slammed into the tree I was using. I had then quickly hightailed it out of there to avoid recognition.

After all that, I made to this bench and this is where I found myself now. Twelve and sleeping in parks during the Winter. Fun. I stood up and brushed myself down before heading for my teams meet up spot. Can't slack on training just because I'm a homeless loser.

"AHHH! What a great day! Time to go show ole' Uke-chan who's the Hokage!" With that statement I was off. After a quick shinobi jog, I funnily arrived just as my sensei Kakashi did. Now there was a masked man if I ever did see one.

Kakashi had lead a life of strife. His teammates had died, his father had died, and his sensei had as well. A large amount of death for any war grizzled man, much less for the boy my sensei had been when they had all kicked the bucket. It was why the man was so laid back, so silly.

He really just wanted to curl up in a ball and die, to beg for his mother and father. But his friends wouldn't let him. Their masks told them they cared for their friends. They needed to help their friends, no matter how much the people didn't want the help.

"Why were you two so LATE!" Sakura-chan yelled.

"Ara, ara, calm your self Sakura. I'm sure Naruto over there has a perfect explanation for his tardiness," Kakashi redirected the anger towards me.

I sighed internally before slapping a huge smile on my face, "A future Hokage needs his beauty sleep! So I snoozed a little extra this morning! You're a girl Sakura-chan, I'm sure you understand the need for rest!" I was pretty sure my answer nailed it.

Sakura looked sheepish at my answer, glancing between one hand that held a pocket watch, the other with a small thing of makeup. Sakura put away the watch and spoke up, "Yeah, yeah, just don't be late again Baka. That goes for you too Sensei."

"So, Sakura, I heard you have medical jutsu you need to practice for Tsunade, so... get to it I guess. Sasuke, you and I shall work with your Sharingan, work out the kinks so to say. Naruto... um... you can work on your chakra control. That's always helpful," Kakashi laboriously drawled.

I happily continued my mask and ran over to a pond to stand on it. After nearly three hours of standing on the pond, and not a single feeling of my chakra dropping, I sighed internally. I dropped onto my hindquarters on the water and scratched at my nose. Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura were no where to be seen. I had been forgotten as usual.

I easily formed a Rasengan in my hand and placed it against the water to began balancing on it. For about five minutes I slowly stretched my body skyward until my whole weight rested only on my hand that was a few inches away from my jutsu. The jutsu itself was generating a peaceful whirlpool. For hours I simply balanced, switching my hands back and forth.

This was an exercise I had created after being taught the fourth's jutsu by Ero-Sennin. It not only had me focus on maintaining the rasengan, but balancing my weight on it without injuring myself. I also had to extend chakra to the water to help maintain the water walking that was involved. It was all very chakra intensive and dangerous, but who cared if I got hurt. Besides, it did wonders for my chakra control.

I was just about to switch to my other hand when I heard a stifled gasp. I immediately canceled my technique and plunged into the water. Underneath the surface I swam for some weeds sticking out of the pond near the shore. I needed to find my watcher.

When I reached my vantage point, it only took me fifteen seconds to find my spectator. It was... Tenten? Why would she watch me. I sighed before making my way from cover to cover until I was nearly behind her. I then made a show of 'accidentally' falling from my hiding spot behind her.

"You know, Tenten-Chan, it's rude to spy on people," I carefully made an overly serious face. Tenten looked like she was about to have a heart attack. I guess I really did sneak up on her.

"Don't do that... that... sneaking up stuff! I nearly died when you revealed yourself. Anyway, what was that thing you were doing on the pond?! It looked really cool!" Tenten seemed to rush through her words, a red tint to her cheeks. Maybe she had a cold.

"Uh... well... I..." I struggled to think of an excuse, "Hey?! How do I know you're not going to tell Neji all about my training techniques?! That's what you're doing here! You're here to spy for Neji!" I yelled, finally finding an excuse to not tell Tenten what I was doing.

"Hey! I wasn't spying, I was coming here to ask..." Tenten petered off, jabbing her fingers together nervously, It vaguely reminded me of Hinata.

"To ask what?" I asked.

"Well... it's kind of...personal," Tenten finished weakly.

"What is it?" I asked, starting to become intrigued.

"Well... not to be rude, but you weren't my first choice for this... and it may seem extremely personal... and I really need the help... I really wish this didn't need to happen... but," Tenten jabbered on, never really reaching her point. I decided to move her along.

I grabbed Tenten by the shoulders and yelled, "What is it!" while shaking her. She finally was brought from her stupor that she had worked herself into.

"Uhhh, _willyoucomelivewithmeforafewmonthswhilemyparentsareinironcountrytolearnmoresmithingstuff?!" _Tenten spoke so fast that I didn't understand a thing she said.

"What?" I said.

Tenten puffed out her cheeks and sighed, "Will you come live with me for a few months? My parents are going to be in Iron country for the next couple months and," Tenten's face got really red, she must really be sick or something, "I am...kinda...scared of being alone."

I stared at Tenten. She stared right back. I had already made my decision. I would stay with her simply because it killed two birds with one stone, I got somewhere to live and I was going to be able to help a friend. That was like the ultimate thing for my 'mask'.

"Sure Tenten-Chan, it'll be like a super long sleep-over. Though, thinking about it, I've never been to one of those. But I've heard they're fun!" I let my mask shine, flowing with overly optimistic cheer. I did notice Tenten give me a strange look when I talked about never having a sleep-over before. She probably just thought I was weird.

"All right! Thank you Naruto. Just a few ground rules. Don't be perverted, don't eat everything in the house unless you want to go buy the groceries, and don't let in strangers. Other than things that are common sense, that's about it," Tenten said happily.

I felt a bit of warmth flow in my chest. It was always the feeling I got when my mask was able to make someone visibly happy. I smiled wildly, though half of the happiness in it was faked. More of my mask.

I thought about her rules. Mostly about the common sense thing. I wondered what that was. Was it like an object or something? Well, it's fine, I'll make do. I told Tenten that I would grab a bag from my apartment(though I wasn't actually headed there) and would rendezvous up with her later.

As she walked off, I jumped into a tree and began to follow her. This wasn't the first time I was invited to someone's house and it turned out they actually just wanted to hurt me. After a nearly thirty minutes, Tenten turned off of the main road and entered a well kept, but unused park. She walked over to a park bench and sat down.

I watched her for a few moments. She had her face in her hands, I wondered what she was doing. Slowly but surely a sound started to fill the area. Soft cries echoing around the solemn oaks, listening silently and providing no comfort what so ever.

I jumped down and got closer to her. This time I stayed perfectly silent until I sat down next to her. She nearly jumped off the bench, but rather than yell at me, she just latched on in a death hug. Quietly we both sat there, Tenten sniffling into my coat.

I turned to say something to Tenten when she started speaking.

"You're probably going to think I'm weak, but I'm not sure my parents are coming back. There's a civil war going on in Iron country at the moment and while my parents are strong, they aren't shinobi or Samurai. They said everything was going to be fine but... I'm not so sure," Tenten mumbled the words, low huffs escaping her lips as she attempted to breathe regularly and small tears running down her face.

I was out of my element here. I didn't know how to reply, or what to do. So I did what I always do. I threw on my mask and let it run it's course.

I wrapped my arms around Tenten and spoke lowly but clearly, "You are going to be fine Tenten! I just know it! Your parents didn't leave you to make you cry, they left because they know you're strong enough to make it in this world by yourself even if they aren't around.

At least that's what I think, though I never had parents. Guess they didn't want me, or maybe I came from a plant? That would be cool, just be half tree or something and be like the Shodaime Hokage!"

As I said all this, I barely noticed Tenten's arms encircle me, and her tears becoming less common. I just hugged her tight enough to know I'm there, but loosely enough so she could jump away from me in disgust like I thought she would.

"Heh, Naruto?"Tenten said.

"Yeah, Tenten-Chan?"Was my reply.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel better," Tenten hugged me tighter, "Can we just stay like this for awhile. It makes me feel better, less lonely."

"Sure, Tenten-Chan. Whatever you say," I replied amiably.

…...A few hours later...

I followed Tenten to her home. Tenten happened to live in one of the more friendly and clean neighborhoods. I had bought a hoody after getting kicked out of my apartment, so I had the hood that made a hoody a hoody pulled over my blonde locks.

Tenten just happily chattered about various memories she had of this place as a younger child. I just watched around me carefully, nervous. The last time I was in a place like this was when I was six and was jumped by two chunin. The two females had punched and kicked me for hours, a large crowd just watching.

It was when the women pulled out knives that an Anbu showed up and tonelessly told the crowd to disperse before dispatching the two Kuinochi. Then he grabbed the two females, threw them over both his shoulders and left me panting on the ground.

It wasn't one of my finer moments in life. I slowed down as Tenten walked up the steps of her semi-traditional Japanese home. I stayed behind her, and entered when she invited me in. Once I was inside I removed my shoes in the entrance, and followed her careful to touch nothing.

I also stepped carefully, aware that I could be kicked outside for a few hours if I didn't walk quietly. At least the orphanage rules that I was taught before I was kicked out for breaking too many rules were coming in handy.

Tenten pointed out a guest room and I entered it. It was actually a lot bigger then I expected. It was at least double the size of my old room in mt apartment. I bowed lowly to Tenten and thanked her, before following her on her little tour she was giving me.

After I had bowed, Tenten's face had become red again. I for the third time that day assumed she was sick or something. She should probably see a doctor about that. Tenten then went on to show me her where her own room was and her mother and father's room. The last two rooms was the kitchen/dining room that were connected and the living room of sorts.

The living room of sorts simply had some sitting cushions and a low table in the center. Over all the entire house was cozy and homely, something I had never really experienced. I had also seen as I walked around the house various pictures of two brown haired people, one male and one female, along with younger looking Tentens'.

"So that's all... what do you want to do now?" Tenten asked, her face red for the fourth time.

"Uh... you hungry? I could cook something?" I said, not really sure what to do, so I followed my mask's guidance and the orphanage rules which stated I must cook meals for everyone if a cook isn't available or they aren't doing it themselves.

"Sure... just don't make a mess, please?" Tenten said.

I wondered why she looked so apprehensive. Maybe what was making her sick was a stomach bug!

I walked into the kitchen and looked for a few spices and some white rice. After setting the rice cooking in a pot, I looked around for something else. I found some vegetables and oil and got those frying in a pan. I checked the fridge and found some beef. I quickly and efficiently cut the meat into small cubes and rectangles before tossing them into the pan.

I then looked for some more spices, and some soy sauce. Those would help out with the vegetables and beef I was making. After locating the spices required, I seasoned the frying food. Ten minutes later when the food was all cooked, I grabbed a large bowl and filled it with the rice. I found another large bowl and emptied the pan's contents into it.

I grabbed two more bowls, though they were normal sized bowls that you ate from and two sets of chop sticks. That would do it all. Just as I was about to take the food over to the table where Tenten was sitting, I remembered drinks. I filled two cups with with hot water left over from cooking the rice, and put in some teat leaves.

I then took everything over to the table. I nearly died of laughter at the shocked face Tenten had when I placed down the food.

When everything was in place, we dug in.

"Wow!" Tenten exclaimed after a few bites, "This really good! Where did you learn cook?"

"Well, through lots of trial and error and burnt fingers. I've been cooking for myself since I was five ya know." It was as I said that, that Tenten grabbed a large piece of rice and put it in her mouth.

I wiped away the rice on my face.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Let me clean that!"Tenten yelled before she rushed around the table and began furiously wiping my face with a piece of her pink of shirt. I pushed her away after a few seconds, and cleaned my face myself while Tenten sat back down.

"It's fine Tenten, you didn't need to do that!" I said slightly scandalized after that whole fiasco.

"I sorry, Naruto-kun," Tenten apologized, "It's just... have you really been living alone since you were five?"

"Four actually, I just didn't learn to actually cook anything on the stove until I was five. The orphanage kicked me out for breaking too many rules or something and I guess jiji was feeling generous or something because he gave me apartment," I replied.

"So... Naruto-kun, how's your team doing?"Tenten asked.

I easily replied to the topic change, "Well Sakura's learning a ton from Tsunade and Sasuke-teme is doing Sharingan stuff with Kakashi."

"What about you, then? You learn anything new?"Tenten asked.

"Well, I have been practicing a lot of water walking, though I have known it for awhile. It's fine though, I'm sure after Sasuke's a chunin Kakashi will teach me or something. Besides, I have Jiraiya whenever he is actually in Konoha and isn't peeping on people at the hot springs," I chattered.

"So... are you saying that for the past three weeks that no one has taught you anything for the third stage?! How are you supposed to do well in the exam if you don't have anyone teaching you anything," Tenten screeched.

"Kakashi said I need better chakra control before I learn anything, and he's teaching Sasuke for the exam," I grumbled.

"But I saw you on the pond1 You were doing some extreme water walking! Or something, I'm not sure what you were doing? What were you doing?" Tenten asked.

"It was water walking, just the Uzumaki version. Don't worry about it," I said, "People have more important people to teach than me."

"But that's unfair, Naruto-kun! Someone should be training you! Even if your teacher can't do it, someone else should!" Tenten returned forcefully.

My mask cracked in frustration, "ENOUGH! Ahem, sorry... Tenten-Chan. I am tired, I think I shall go sleep. Dream well." I scurried away to the guest room.

I didn't need her prying into my life. What I learned and didn't learn was my business. She didn't need to help. I never needed help from anyone other than my mask. My mask was enough, no matter what obstacles planted themselves in front of me.

I needed to work on my control though. My mask didn't crack very often, but when it did things went bad. The last time it had cracked was when Orochimaru had attacked my team. I had nearly lost myself in the rage I had felt and Kyuubi's power was helping me calm down.

…...The very next day...

I awoke early and quickly made some food for Tenten before leaving. My stomach growled as I went without breakfast. I simply walked faster. I only needed one meal, and that was dinner. It was far too expensive to live otherwise. I arrived at my team's training ground and slouched over to a tree.

I sat at the base, and played with the grass. As I sat there, a butterfly landed on my head. With that, a few birds appeared and landed on each of my shoulders. Then a squirrel came and curled up around my leg. My other leg had a small garden snake resting on it.

I sat there comfortably against the tree, feeling completely at peace with the animals using me as a place to rest. A few hours passed, and as they did slowly the creatures left before the only one left was the small garden snake that had moved itself to rest around my right arm.

I slowly stroked it's small head. It was a beautiful specimen. A sea-green. After a few minutes, the snake slithered away and I sighed. Just then Sakura showed up. She was out of breath and looking tired. I just pretended to be asleep. No need to concern myself. Five seconds later, Sasuke showed up shirtless and looking angry.

I watched as he wrestled with Sakura to win his shirt back, and was somehow losing. Finally Sakura flipped Sasuke off and started running away. I laughed loudly as Sasuke cursed and chased after her. The two looked like two headless chickens as the scurried around the clearing.

Three minutes later and Sasuke victoriously pulled his shirt on, Sakura pouting a few feet away. It was the that Kakashi decided to show up.

"Everybody do what we were doing the other day," Kakashi then grabbed Sasuke and walked over to a slightly bigger clearing. I sighed and went over to the pond.

When I got the pond, I laid down on the surface and stared at the sky. Was this to be my fate. To stare at the sky from this very pond, never actually learning anything. I was just about to let my control fail and slip under the water when I sensed an incoming projectile.

I jumped into the air and watched the Kunai pass through where I had been. I looked around not seeing anyone. I guess it was my monthly assassination attempt. It seemed I had laid there longer than I thought because the rest of my team was gone.

Another Kunai flew for my blind spot. I leaned forward to the right and as the Kunai passed me I reached out and stuck my finger through the loop before returning it back at the source. I heard a slight yelp before a soft curse.

I stood back up before heading towards the assassin. As I got closer, I wondered what the assassin would look like this time. To my surprise, rather than an Iwa-nin attempting to escape from having a Kunai keeping him/her stuck to a tree, I found Tenten dangling from a tree.

My Kunai had caught her clothing and stuck her against the tree.

"A little help please?" Tenten asked.

I snorted before helping her down.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Tenten slapped me before pulling me into a hug.

"I was worried when you weren't there this morning. Then you don't come back even when it became night time," Tenten mumbled into my collar.

"I'm fine Tenten-Chan! Just some chakra training!" I returned, letting my mask become extra cheerful.

"Come on, it's late," Tenten said.

I saluted in a faux manner before replying, "Yes Mam!"

Tenten grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards her home. I simply let it happened, as she tugged me. When we reached her home, I headed towards the bathroom to take a quick shower before retiring. Tenten headed towards her room.

It felt strange to be in the presence of another person in a home, but it felt good. Maybe it wasn't so bad that I was kicked out of my apartment.

**An**: **That's a rap. So was it bad, good? Review and favorite! Or Just Review! Or mentally dislike! Do whatever!**


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